Man sentenced as teen to 45 years gets second chance

ADRIAN — A judge said Friday he is convinced a teenager he believed was too dangerous to ever let out of prison is a different man at age 30.

Ian Elmer Anderson was given a second chance at life when Lenawee County Circuit Judge Timothy P. Pickard reduced his 45-year minimum prison term to the 12 years he has already served.

“I don’t know how long it will be before you are paroled, but I believe it will be shortly,” Pickard told Anderson.

A little more than 12 years ago, Pickard sentenced the hostile 18-year-old to 45 to 90 years in prison for an armed robbery conviction. He was labeled a dangerous psychopath by a psychologist who evaluated him.

“If I send you to prison and you come out of prison I’m afraid somebody’s going to die,” Pickard told him then.

The same psychologist has a much different opinion now, Pickard said.

He said he has also received a great deal of correspondence from Michigan Department of Corrections officials who describe him as successfully reformed.

An officer who has supervised Anderson for seven years wrote about watching him “go through a rather remarkable change,” Pickard said. “He called it a 100 percent change in character.”

Other corrections officials described help he has given other inmates in learning to read and write, he said.

“They believe he will be a positive and productive member of society,” he said.Defense attorney James Daly said the backing of Corrections Department officials is rare.

“Never in all the years I’ve been practicing law here have I ever seen the Department of Corrections send a letter of support for anyone,” Daly said.

Assistant Lenawee County Prosecutor Scott Baker said the victim in the 2000 robbery at an Adrian gasoline station was present in the courtroom but had no comment on the resentencing.

Anderson apologized to her after reading a brief written statement about his efforts to earn repentance and striving to educate and improve himself over the past 12 years.

“For anyone who was affected by my actions, I apologize,” Anderson said.

Pickard said he had a private conversation with Anderson in his chambers. He said he believes Anderson is sincere and accepted his vow to stay away from alcohol and drugs when he is paroled.

“I believe you are a bright person and a valuable person,” Pickard said before Anderson was led out of the courtroom to return to the Macomb Correctional Facility. Pickard told him to expect a parole hearing within 30 to 60 days.